Retaining spider and plate for material grinding machines



Jan. 6, 1953 M. F. WARD 2,624,384

RETAINING SPIDER AND PLATE FOR MATERIAL GRINDING MACHINES Filed May 24, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 F g i I [HI E1770!" Mic/246i F Wdrd z/a mw H2295 Jan. 6, 1953 M. F. WARD 2,624,384 RETAINING SPIDER AND PLATE FOR MATERIAL GRINDING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1949 ow o w n Filed May 24, 1949 Jan. 6, 1953 2,624,384

M. F. WARD RETAINING SPIDER AND PLATE FOR MATERIAL GRINDING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig s Patented Jan. 6, 1953 RETAINING SPIDER AND PLATE FOR MATERIAL GRINDING MACHINES Michael F. Ward, Chicago, 'Ill., assignor to The Cincinnati Butchers Supply Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application May 24, 1949, Serial No. 94,976

1 6 Claims. This invention relates to improvements in a retaining spider and plate for material grinding machines, and more particularly to a retaining spider and plate assembly for grinding machines of the character highly desirable for use in meat packing plants and the like to grind meat in the form for use as sausage, hamburgers, and the like, although the invention is equally adaptable for grinding nuts, other food items, washing powder, soap chips, and materials of various types, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Machines of the type of this invention customarily include a cylinder, a screw type conveyor therein, a rotary knife, and a plate having numerous apertures therein in operative association with the knife, the ground material exiting from the device through the apertures in that plate. Frequently, especially in packing plants, machines of this type are of relatively great capacity insofar as the quantity of material ground per hour is concerned, and equally as frequently these machines are operated with motors of approximately 60 horsepower. The plate, therefore, is subject to severe strain and heretofore that plate was exceedingly expensive owing to the necessary thickness to prevent the plate shattering under the load. Such plates, because of the numerous apertures therein, are exceedingly expensive, and the expense increases materially as the size of the apertures decreases. havin differently sized apertures are utilized with each machine, and the weight of metal alone is a considerable item, when it is recalled that heretofore these plates also in most cases carried a bushing in the central portion thereof to support bearing means for the shaft of the conveyor. Of course, owing to the thickness of the plates,'the capacity of the machine was limited to some extent by the added friction of the material passing through the holes or apertures in the plate, and frequently it was necessary to clean the platesin a most laborious manner by hand to'eliminate the material tightly choking the apertures.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a plate for a grinding machine with a retaining spider lending support to that plate, and the structure being such that the plate is of substantially uniform thickness throughout and the weight of the conveyor and its shaft is entirely removed from the plate.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a plate for a grinding machine of the character set forth herein, which plate actually increases the capacity of the machine by virtue of the thinness of the plate and the consequent Usually a series of plates shortness of the apertures through that plate, thereby lessening friction upon the material passing through those apertures over plates of the same character heretofore known.

Still a further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a retaining spider for a plate in a grinding machine of the character set forth herein, which spider is so constructed as to adequately support the plate against the rotary knife of the machine and against the extreme pressure developed in the machine, whereby the plate may be much thinner than plates of this type heretofore known, and no load except that of the material passing through the plate need be carried by the plate.

It is also a feature of this invention to provide a plate and spider assembly for a grinding machine of the character set forth herein, wherein the spider is constructed to support the plate by means of spokes over the surface adjacent the spider, and also lend proper support to the circumferential margin of the plate.

It is still a further feature of this invention to provide a plate and retaining spider assembly for agrinding machine, wherein the plate is extremely economical to manufacture because of its relative thinness, its uniform thickness, and its reversible character, while the spider is substantially a permanent part of the machine.

Still a further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a plate for a material grinding machine of the character set forth herein, which plate may be extremely economically manufactured, is very highly durable and long lasting, and yet may be replaced if desired at a comparatively low cost.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a fragmentary central vertical sectional view through a grinding machine, parts being shown in elevation, equippedwith a plate and retaining spider assembly embodying principles of the instant invention:

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line Il-II of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line IIIIII of Fig. l but rotated at an angle of for purposes of clarity;

engaged with that. shaft 6;.

Figure 4 is also a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line IVIV of Fig. l, to illustrate the inside faces of the spokes of the retaining spider; and

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line V-V of Fig. l to illustrate the mounting of the knife.

As shown on the drawings:

The illustrated embodiment of this invention is shown operatively associated with a material grinding machine of the high capacity typeutilized in meat packing and other manufacturing plants. All parts of the machine including those involved in the instant invention are preferably made of stainless steel forsanitary purposes, al-

though other materials plated or finished as desired may also be used.

The grinding or cutting machine includes a cylinder or container I having an open-forward end around which is an externally threaded marginal portion 2. The cylinder is also provided with an intake hopper 3- through which material toxbeground may be placedinside the cylinder I.

In order to carry. the material forward into position for cutting, there is a screw conveyor assembly embodying a shaft 3 around which'is disposed a helical blade 5 gradually'decreasing in diameter toward the front end of the cylinder. i'his screw conveyor is driven by any suitable means connect d to the rear end thereof, and not shown-in the drawings. The screw conveyor assembly also includes a stud projecting forwardly of:- the-shaft A and having a portion. 6 threadedly The stud also includes an outstanding polygonal flanged. and forwardof that fiange, the-stud is shaped to provide -a journal 3 for the conveyor assembly.

Around. the polygonal flange 7 a multi-bladed.

knife e having-a center opening IIl complemental tothg'fiange l is loosely disposed, and the knife obviously rotates withthe screw conveyor assembly.

Atthe forward or open end of the cylinder I, a retaining ring 3! is-threadedly engaged on the part2 of the cylinder, this ring having an inwardiy extending flange I2 to'hold aretaining and supporting spider, generally indicated 'by-numeral well as a plate, generally indicated by numeral as, in position with the inside surface of plate in contact with the cutting edges of the blades on the rotary knife 9. It will be noted from the showing in Fig. 1 that the retaining ring I I is provided with a recess I5inside the flange 52 of. sufficient depth to insure contact of the plate M with the knife blades, such contact limiting the threaded engagement of the. retaining. ringw-ith the'externally threaded-portion 2 of the cylinder I.

The retaining spider, best seen in Figs. 1 and4, comprises a. rim portion I6 connectedby a plurality of spokes If: to a hub in the form of a bushing is in which is a hardened bearing I9 for the aforesaid journal 8 of the screw conveyor assembly. Since this retaining spider is substantially .a. permanent part of the machine and. is designed tocarry the. full load on theplate I4, by. elfectively supporting that plate, the spokes Il-are preferably substantially wedge shape in cross section as seen best in Fig. 3. These spokes taper inwardly so as to provide a relatively narrow or fine edge 29 for contact with the outer face of the plate I 6. As seen in Fig. l, the spokes are also of outward-arcuate configuration axially of the machine; that is, the spokes are thickest adjacent the hub bushing I8 and thinner where they. connect with the rim I6 of the spider. With reference to Figs. 2 and 4, it will also be seen that the spokes are also of arcuate configuration in a radial direction in the preferable construction. Thus, the spokes lend support to the outer face of the plate I4 and at the same time approach line contact with that plate so as not to obscure or block the apertures through the plate beyond a minimum extent.

Additional support is given the plate I4 by the spider, both centrally and at the circumferential margin. The central support is provided by a reduced threaded interior end 2I on the bushing I8 terminating in an abrupt shoulder 22, as best seen in Fig; -1. The circumferential marginal support is provided by an enlarged bore 23. in the rim portion I5 of the spider terminating in a flat face or shoulder 24 against which the circumferential marginal portion of the plate may firmly seat.

The plate I4 is preferably in the form. of a metallic disk 25 provided with numerous apertures 25'therethrough. These apertures or cutting holes maybe parallel tothe axis of the disk or at an anglezto that axis as seen clearly in Fig. 3. The apertures or cutting. holes may also be of any desired size, depending upon the material to be cut or ground by the machine. For example, holes 4; inchto inch in diameter may be utilized for certain types of meat, holes of lesser size may be used for meat for sausage, holes even smaller such as 54 inch may be usedfor washing powder and like products.

It-willbe especially noted that the disk 25 is relatively thin. In fact, this disk. need only be up to 40% of the thickness of disks of this character heretofore used because this diskdoes not carry any of the weight of the screw conveyor assembly, nor isthe disk provided with a hub or bushing.

The disk or plate is preferably left with a smooth outer marginal portion 21 that seats against the bottom or shoulder 24 Of the enlarged bore in the rim of the spider. Centrally thereof the disk is provided with a relatively large opening internally threaded for engagement with the threads on the bushing I8, and a smooth inner marginal portion 28 of the disk seats against the aforesaid shoulder 22 on the bushing. Accordingly, the disk is firmly supported at the center, at the outer margin, and across the face by means of the aforesaid spokes H on the spider.

IILShOllld also be noted that the disk is reversible. That is, it may be connected tothe' bushing I8.by way of the threads illustrated, or in: any other equivalent manner, with either. fiatface of the disk adjacent the rotary knife 9. It should also benoted that the depth of the enlarged bore 23 in the spider is less than thethickness, of the disk so that the disk extends inwardlybeyond the termination of the spider rim asrindicatedat 29 in Fig. 1. In addition, thefine edges20 of. the spokes I! all terminate substantially in the same plane as the bottom 24 of the enlarged bore so that the diskrmay seatflatly. against. the narrow edgesof these spokes. Thus, the disk isfirmlyheldin contact with the rotary knife 9,,and there is no danger of that knife ever contacting the spider. It mightbe added thatv the disk is preferably of hardened stainless steel plate, which canbe hardened and operatesatisfactorily inthe present instance-at 68-70 Rockwell scale.

The spider. and plate are kept from rotating by asuitable pin30 engaged in complemental sockets in. the spider: rim. and cylinder I.

In operation the instant invention is extremely simple and highly eflicient. It must be assumed, of course, that a set of cutting plates are provided for each machine, each plate having apertures therethrough of a different size than the other plates. It is a simple expedient to interchange plates by removing the retaining ring ll, pulling out the spider with the disk attached thereto, unscrewing the disk from the bushing of the spider, and attaching a new disk, and reassembling the spider and retaining ring on the machine. By the assembly operation and the construction of the relative parts, the disk is always brought into positive contact with the blades of the rotary knife. From the showing in Fig. 1, it will be noted that the disk is of such diameter relatively to the blades of the knife that the blades cover the entire exposed face of the disk during their rotation, and so the knife will not tend to groove the disk. The disk is therefore of extremely long life, and even though one face thereof may become worn to an objectionable extent, the other face of the disk may then be used by reversing the disk.

The use of the particular disk, so supported by the spider, permits the disk to be made extremely thin and light, thereby greatly reducing the cost of manufacture of the disk as well as its weight. It should also be especially noted that the disk actually results in an increase in capacity of the machine by virtue of its thinness, in that the holes or apertures through the disk provide less friction to the passage of the material being cut or ground. That material therefore will move with greater rapidity through the disk, and plugging of the apertures in the disk by material is greatly eliminated. Whenever it is necessary to replace a disk, that may be done extremely economically, because the cost of the disk or plate and the spider should be no more than the cost of a disk or plate of the character heretofore used, and yet the spider is substantially a permanent part of the machine and will outlast even the plates.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A plate and spider assembly for a material grinding machine, including a relatively thin disk of uniform thickness having numerous apertures therethrough and a relatively large central opening internally threaded, a spider comprising a rim, spokes, and a hub bushing, said bushing having a threaded inner end to receive thereon said disk from either side, the rim of the spider having an enlarged bore to receive the disk when the same is attached to said bushing.

2. A plate and spider assembly for a material grinding machine, including a relatively thin disk of uniform thickness having numerous apertures therethrough and a relatively large central opening internally threaded, a spider comprising a rim, spokes, a hub bushing, said bushing having a threaded inner end to receive thereon said disk from either side, the rim of the spider having an enlarged bore to receive the disk when the same is attached to said bushing, said enlarged bore being of less depth than the thickness of said disk, and said spokes terminating inwardly in the plane of the bottom of said enlarged bore to lend support to the body of said disk.

3. A plate and spider assembly for a material grinding machine, including a relatively thin disk of uniform thickness having numerous apertures therethrough and a relatively large central opening internally threaded, a spider comprising a rim, spokes, and a hub bushing, said bushing having a threaded inner end to receive thereon said disk from either side, the rim of the spider having an enlarged bore to receive the disk when the same is attached to said bushin said spokes being tapered in cross-section with their narrower edges terminating substantially in the plane of the bottom of said enlarged bore to lend support to said disk and block said apertures to a minimum extent.

4. In combination in a material grinding machine, a cylinder, a conveyor assembly in said cylinder, a multi-bladed rotary knife on the shaft of said conveyor assembly, a retaining ring on the end of said cylinder, a spider held by said retaining ring, said spider including a hub part to provide a bearing for the conveyor assembly shaft, and a disk-like plate of uniform thickness and having numerous apertures therethrough and a central opening for engagement with said hub disposed adjacent said knife, said plate being of such size that the inner face thereof may be completely contacted by the knife blade cutting edges.

5. In a plate and spider assembly for a material grinding machine having a protruding conveyor shaft portion, a spider comprising a rim, spokes, and a hub, a disk of uniform thickness having numerous apertures therethrough removably mounted on the inner end of said hub, said hub having a radial shoulder to bear against the outer face of said disk, and bearing means in said hub extending through the part carrying said disk to journal the conveyor shaft portion, the rim of said spider having an enlarged bore of less depth than the thickness of said disk to receive the outer margin of the disk, leaving the entire inner face of the disk free for contact by a knife.

6. In combination in a material grinding machine, a cylinder, a conveyor assembly including a shaft in said cylinder, a multi-bladed rotary knife on said shaft, a retaining ring on the end of said cylinder, a spider held by said retaining ring, said spider including a hub part to provide a bearing for said shaft, said spider having an annular plate receiving recess in its inner face, an apertured plate in said recess of greater thickness than the depth of said recess whereby the entire inner face of the plate is exposed adjacent said knife, and said plate and knife being of the same diameter.

MICHAEL F. WARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,084,854 Ganzhorn Jan. 20, 1914 1,375,766 Anderson Apr. 26, 1921 1,439,312 Johnson Dec. 19,1922 1,619,632 Perrault et al Mar. 1, 1927 1,695,898 Laemmel Dec. 18, 1928 2,037,823 Royle Apr. 21, 1936 2,337,604 Hess Dec. 28, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 484,514 Germany Oct. 21, 1929 

